According to the creators of Ballpoint, the latest, and weirdest, addition toTransformerslore, the biggest influence on the character wasThe Muppets. Ballpoint is meant to capture the madcap energy of Jim Henson’s iconic creations, in a story that is described as “a gateway for a new generation of Transformers fans.”
In an interview with Brands Untapped, the creative team behindTransformers: Worst Bot Ever, Brian Smith and Marz Jr., spoke about what went into creating their unhinged new Decepticon
Of course, whether Ballpoint will live up to the “worst bot” title is up to readers to decide, and it might help to know how muchThe Muppetsinfluenced his behavior.
Ridiculous New Decepticon “Ballpoint” Was Inspired By The Muppets, Says Creators
Transformers: Worst Bot Ever, By Brian Smith And Marz Jr.; Available Now From Skybound Entertainment
Even in their most kid-friendly incarnations,Transformersstories tend to have a certain gravityto them; the interstellar war between Autobots and Decepticons is a weighty premise that the franchise rarely shies away from. That said,Worst Bot Everdispenses with all of that, in favor of a lighthearted,Muppets-inspired comedy story.
As artist Marz Jr. put it:
The Muppets are a big influence…I love being aware that you’re making something silly or stupid. I took some improv classes and one thing they’d say is ‘always play stupid to the height of your intelligence’. I love that vibe.
In other words,Worst Bot Everinjects a much-needed vein of silliness into an otherwise stoic franchise, in what publisher Skybound Entertainment and the book’s creative team hope will appeal to younger readers in particular. In that sense,The Muppetsis the perfect blueprintfor introducing Ballpoint.
Ballpoint is, of course,a Decepticon in the shape of a pen, pushing the idea of a Transformer to a comedic boundary point. However, whereThe Muppets’influence is truly felt is in the energy and tone ofTransformers: Worst Bot Ever, as Ballpoint actively undermines the seriousness of everyone and everything around him.
“Worst Bot Ever” Shows The Comedic Range Of The Transformers Franchise
Ballpoint’s Antics EvokeThe MuppetsAs A Major Influence
More than just a disruptor inTransformerslore,Ballpoint serves as a focal characterthrough which unfamiliar readers can easily get acclimated to the world of the franchise. This was intentional, as explained by writer Brian Smith, who stated:
Skybound was very adamant about this being a gateway for a new generation of Transformers fans. You don’t need to know 40 years of continuity, or the history or the characters to get into this. We’re giving it all to you in this new way with this new Transformer – Ballpoint. The story is told through his eyes and you learn about the Transformers world through him.
Smith further described working with existingTransformerscharacters as “pushing their existing personality traits into a crazy space.”
In other words, Ballpoint isn’t just a madcap wildcard in a super-serious setting. Instead, iconic characters like Megatron, Optimus Prime, and more are written to match the new character’s energy. This is the essential fun ofWorst Bot Ever, and what makes it a worthwhile read for anyTransformersfan, even if it is geared towards young readers.
Transformers: Worst Bot Ever, and its erstwhile protagonist Ballpoint, show that there is morerange to theTransformersfranchisethan it usually gets credit for. It does so by introducing an unforgettable new Decepticon, one who will go down inTransformershistory as its most over-the-top, if not its worst.
